Hydraulic machine tool



Nov. 26, 1940. s JACKSON 2,223,038

HYDRAULIC MACHINE TDOL Filed April 8, 19s? s Sheets-Sheet 1 I bag/=1 Nov; 26, 1940.

P. s. JACKSON HYDRAULIC MACHINE TOOL s sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 P. S. JACKSON HYDRAULIC MACHINE TOOL 4 Filed April 8, 1937 Nov. 26, 1940.

Patented Nov. 26, 1940 PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC MACHINE TOOL Paul S. Jackson, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Rockford Machine Tool Company, Rockford, 11]., a

corporation of Illinois Application April 8, 1937, Serial No. 135,728

9 Claims.

The invention relates generally to machine tools and particularly to machine tools of the continually reciprocating type, such as, planers, shapers, and the like, and to a hydraulic circuit therefor. Reference is made to applicants co-pending applications Serial Nos. 301,684 and 301,685,'fi1ed October 28, 1939, and which relate to the same subject matter of invention.

' A general object of the invention is .to provide in a machine tool, having a reciprocable member,

a hydraulic actuating system having novel and improved valve means and circuit arrangement for controlling the reversal and rate of movement of the reciprocable member of the machine.

A more particular object is to provide such a machine tool with anew and improved hydraulic actuating system operable to drive the reciprocable member at different rates and in different directions in which a single valve controls initiation and arrest of operation and rate of movement.

Another object is to provide a machine tool having a reciprocable member and a hydraulic actuating system for the member including a motor of the piston and cylinder type and control valve means for the system in which thecylinder of the motor and the casing of the control valve means are cast as a single, integral body.

30 Yet another object is to locate a pilot valve,

controlling the reversing valve of a hydraulic actuating system, in a concealed and protected position wholly within the frame of the machine with which the system is associated in order to protect the pilot valve against injury and to avoid entanglement of an attendant with the valve while making an adiustment thereon during operation of the machine.

Still another object is to provide in a hydraulically actuated machine tool having a reciprocable member a hydraulically actuated reversing valve constructed and controlled in a novel manner to have a shifting movement of a character assuring a precise and smooth reversal of the reciprocable member.

A further object is to provide a machine tool having a rail, 2. support slidably mounted on the rail and hydraulic actuating means for the support requiring but a single fluid supply connec- 50 tion.

Yet a further object is the provision of a hydraulic motor of the piston and cylinder type, for actuating the support on the rail, having a piston of variable stroke, to vary the extent of feed of the support, which is cushioned at either end' of its stroke to assure quiet operation regardless of the length thereof.

Still a further object is to perfect a hydraulic shaper which is precise, smooth and quiet in operation, which is designed to avoid injury to its 5 vital parts and to an attendant of the machine, which has a minimum number of controls to simplify operation thereof, and which may be cheaply and economically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages will become ap- 10 parent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine tool embodying the features of this invention. 15

Fig. 2. is a'partially diagrammatic view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 arranged to illustrate the hydraulic circuit of the machine tool.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the feed motor for the work support, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the driving connection from the feed motor to the work support, taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan section taken along the line 55 of Fig. 2.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, it is here shown and will be described hereinafter in a preferred embodiment, but it is not intended that the invention is thereby to be limited to the specific construction disclosed, but it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended.

claims.

For purposes of disclosure, the invention, while relating generally to hydraulic machine tools having a first reciprocable carriage and a second carriage intermittently fed transversely of the path of the first carriage and in timed relation with the reciprocations thereof, one of the carriages supportinga tool and the other a work piece, is here shown and will be described hereinafter as embodied in a shaper. As here shown, such a shaper has an elongated base I with a column ll upstanding from the rear of the base and housing the major portion of the operating mechanism. Reciprocable longitudinally of the base in ways l2 formed on the top of the column is a carriage or ram [3 equipped at its forward end with conventional mechanismll for adjustably supporting a tool (not shown). The ram l3 has a forward cutting or feed stroke and arearward traverse or returnstroke and is reciprocable by a hydraulic motor (Fig. 2) generally designated IS, the motor being operable to drive the ram forwardly at either one of two cutting or feed speeds and to return the ram at I 5 rapid traverse speed.

Located the the front of the machine is the work supporting unit comprising a rail l'l mounted for vertical sliding movement on ways 18 formed on the front face of the column II and a table I9 supported on the rail H for movement transversely of the base and of the path of reciprocation of the ram I3. The rail I1 is adjusted vertically to position the work at the proper elevaiton with respect to the tool by means of the well known screw and nut arrangement. Herein a vertically disposed screw'20 is fixed at its lower end in the base I0 while a nut threadedly engaging therewith is rotatably mounted in the rail and may be actuated by manual rotation'of a lead screw 2! projecting from the right end of the rail. Movement of the table l9 in either direction transversely of the path of reciprocation of the ram l3 may be imparted manually by rotation of a lead screw 22 and is imparted automati- 26 cally in timed relation with the reciprocation of the ram by ahydraulic motor generally designated 23. The table I9 preferably carries a vise 24 in which the work piece is clamped and which in the present instance is mounted for tilting in 80 the longitudinal plane of the machine.

Operating fiuidjoil being commonly employed, is supplied to the various motors by a pump 30 of the constant displacement type (see Fig. 2) located within the column H and driven at a constant speed by an electric motor 3| mounted on the rear of the column. The pump 38 draws fluid from a reservoir, in the bottom of the column (not shown), through a pipe 32 and discharges the fluid through a common connection into a main 4o actuating circuit and into an auxiliary feed and control circuit. The fluid in the circuits is controlled to obtain the movements of the various parts as above described by manually and automatically operable valves including a combined volume control and relief valve 33, a combined rate selector and start-stop valve 34, a reversing valve 35, a pilot valve 36, and a back pressure and check valve 31. By means of these valves, as will more particularly be described hereinafter, the shaper may be started manually, after which the ram will be continuously reciprocated with the J return stroke at a rapid traverse rate and the forward stroke at the selected one of two feed rates. The work support will be fed transversely intermittently in timed relation with the reciprocation of the ram, with the operation of the shaper continuing in this manner until manually arrested. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the hydraulic motor l5 comprises a cylinder 36 disposed longi- 0 tudinally of the shaper immediately below the ram l3 and a piston 39 reciprocable within the cylinder. A piston rod 40 projects through the forward end of the cylinder 38 and is connected at that end to a depending bracket 4| on'the 5 ram l3. The piston rod 40 is of large diameter, not a great deal smaller than the piston 39, in order that the return stroke of the ram may be effected at a rapid traverse rate without changing the volume of discharge of the pump, as is well known to those skilled in the art. The

cylinder 38 is formed' as an integral part of a large integral casting 42 mounted within the column H and which in addition forms the housings or casings of the start-stop valve 34 and 7 the reversing valve 36. Also formed in the casting, to eliminate the necessity of external piping and conduits, are suitable passages or ducts including a passage 43 communicating with the head end of cylinder 38 through a port 43' and a passage 44 communicating with the rod end of 6 the cylinder through a port 44'. The passages are conveniently formed in part by drilling with the ends of the passages closed by threaded plugs 46. The rear or head end of the cylinder 38 is closed by a cap 46, while the forward or rod end 10 is closed by an annular, two part member 41 containing suitable packing 41' for sealing the cylinder against leakage of fluid outwardly along the piston-rod. Annular flanges on the cap 46 and the member 41 overlie the plugs 45 to aid in re- 15 taining the same in the passages.

As previously stated, operating fluid is supplied to the hydraulic motors of the shaper by the pump 30 under the control of a plurality of manually and automatically actuated valves 33, 34, 35, 36 and 31. Of these valves, the valve 33, as stated, is a combined volume control and relief valve and is of well known and standard commercial construction. The valve receives fluid from the pump 30 through a conduit 48 and discharges 25 a predetermined proportion of the fluid so received through a conduit 49 leading to the startstop and rate selector valve 34. The volume of fluid discharged by the valve 33 to the conduit 49 maybe the total displacement of the pump 30 30 or may be any fraction thereof, as determined by the adjustment of a handle 33' of the valve. Any excess of fluid supplied by the pump above the volume for which the valve 33 has been adjusted is returned to the reservoir through a conduit 58. While the valve 33 is located within the column H, the handle 33 is located externally of the column on the right side of the shaper (see Fig. 1) where it is readily accessible for adjusting the valve. It is believed apparent from the foregoing 40 that the valve 33 by controlling the volume of fluid supplied serves as a basic control for the rate of movement of the ram l3 on both its cutting and its return stroke.

Valve 34, as stated, is a combined start-stop 45 and rate selector valve and as such governs the initiation and arrest of operation of the ram and the feed rate of movement thereof. Its rate selector function is super-imposed upon that of the valve 33 to direct the fluid supplied by the valve '50 33 in a manner to obtain either one of two speed ranges during a cutting stroke of the ram, the actual speed within each range being determined by the volume of fluid discharged by the valve 33. Valve 34 has three positions, namely, stop, "low, and high" and is actuated: manually through a handle 34' disposed outwardly of the column I I on the right side thereof. In its stop position, namely, that shown in Fig. 2, the valve returns to the reservoir the fluid supplied by the 6 valve 33 so that no fluid is supplied to the motor 8 l6. When shifted to its "low" position, namely, the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the valve directs operating fluid to one end'only of the cylinder 38 depending upon the setting of the revers- 65 ing valve 35, while permitting the fluid in the other end to discharge to the reservoir; A low speed range is then obtained because the entire volume of operating fluid is supplied by the pump 30. However; when the valve is shifted to its 7t "hig position, namely, the extreme right position as viewed in Fig. 2, it still directs fluid to one end only of the cylinder when the reversing valve is shifted to effect a return stroke of the ram but connects groove '33 to both ends of the 74 cylinder 38 when the reversing valve is shifted to effect a forward or cutting stroke of the ram. A high speed range is thus obtained because of the differential piston face areas,

In order to obtain such control of the fluid, the valve 34 comprises a core slidable in a bore 52 in the casting 42 constituting the valve casing. Formed in the casing and communicating with the bore are five annular grooves 53, 54, 55, 56, and 51, equally spaced axially but shifted slightly from the middle of the bore, and a sixth annular groove 58 spaced from the groove 53 approximately twice the normal spacing of the grooves.

Opening into each of the grooves 53, 54, 55, and

- 51 is a single port 53', 54', 55, and 51', respectively, while opening in grooves 53 and -55 are ports 58' and 58" and 55' and 55" respectively. The valve core 5| in turn is formed with progressively shorter lands 53, 53 and 5|, with the land 53 spaced from the land 53 a distance suflicient to embrace both the groove 53 and the groove 58 when the valve is in p" position, and with the land 6| spaced from the land 33 a distance suincient to embrace grooves 55 and 53. Thus, with the valve in "stop position, as shown in Fig. 2, fluid from the conduit 43 enters the groove 53 and flows along the bore 52 to the groove 53 from which it is returned to the reservoir through port 53' and a conduit 32. With the valve shifted to its low" position. that .is, the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the groove 53 is now cut off from the groove 53 by means of the land 53, but is in communication with groove 54 while groove 56 is in communication with groove 51 discharging to the reservoir through a conduit 33. When the valve is shifted to its "high" positio that is, the extreme right position, groove 53 is still cut of! from the groove 53, but is now in communlcaq tion with both grooves 54 and 55, while groove 55 is no longer in communication with groove 51.

Groove 55 through port 55' is connected by a conduit 34 to the back pressure and check valve 31. Valve 35, as previously stated, is a reversing valve having two positions, namely, a "forward" position as shown in Fig. 2, and a "return? position which it assumes when shifted to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 for alternately directing fluid to opposite ends of the cylinder 33. The valve comprises a core I3, having similar end lands II .and I2 and an intermediate land I3 spaced an equal distance from each end land, shiftable within a bore I3- formed in the casting 42 constituting the valve casing. The bore communicates with live ports here formed as annular grooves I4,

- I5, 15, TI, and I8 all equally spaced axially. The

left hand groove I4 communicates by means of a passage I3 and port 53" with the'groove 53 of the valve 34, and grooves I5, TI, and "communicate respectively through passages 83, 3|, and 82 with the grooves 54, 55, and 55, pmsage 8| communicating with groove 55 through port 55". Groove I5, however, communicates with the passage 43 leading directly to the head end of the cylinder 33. The rod end of the cylinder through the passage 44 and a conduit 31 connects to the combined back pressure and check valve 31, thus completing the main actuating circuit. It will be noted that fluid supplied to the rod end of cylinder 38 flows through valve 31 in a direction from conduit 54 to conduit 31 and that fluid discharged from the rod end flows in the opposite direction through the valve.

The combined back pressure and check valve 31 is of well known and commercial construction. It operates to permit substantially free flow in a direction from conduit 64 to conduit 31 but yieldably opposes flow therethrough in the opposite direction. By yieldably opposing flow from conduit 81 to conduit 54, it creates a back pressure in the rod end of cylinder 38 during a cutting.

stroke and thus tends to smooth out the stroke of the ram should the cut of the tool afford an uneven resistance.

Reversing valve 35 is hydraulically shifted automatically under the control of the pilot valve 35 which governs the auxiliary feed and control circuit above mentioned. The pilot valve (see Figs. 2and 5) comprises an elongated casing 33 having a core 3| rotatable in a bore formed therein. At one end of the casing 33 near the top thereof is an intake port 32 supplied with operat-.

ing fluid from the pump 33 through a conduit 33.

Disposed vertically below the port 32 is a port 34 communicating through a conduit 35 with one end of the bore 13' of the reversing valve 35. The other end of the bore of the reversing valve is connected by means of conduits 35 and 31 with a port 33 formed in the pilot .valve casing 33 at the end opposite the ports 32 and 34. Disposed vertically abovethe port 38 is a port 33 communicating with a conduit I33 discharging to the reservoir.

The valve core 3| is suitably passaged so that in the position shown in Fig. 2, fluid from pump 33 enters at port 32 and leaves at port 33 to flow through conduits 31 and 35 to the left end of the reversing valve 35, thereby shifting it to the right extreme position shown. Fluid forced out of the right end of the valve flows through conduit 35, port 34 to port 33 and thence through conduit I33 to the reservoir. By rotating valve core 3| through in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, port 32 is connected with port 34 and port 33 is connected with port 33,

thereby directing the operating fluid to the right end of the reversing valve 35 for effecting a shift tothe left and permitting the fluid forced from the left end of the valve to discharge to the reservoir.

Interposed in the conduit 43 of the main actuating circuit is a choke or resistance III which serves to maintain a pressure of approximately 100 pounds in the conduit 33. In that manner, operation of the devices supplied by the auxiliary circuit is assured regardless of the pressure which may exist in the main actuating circuit. Furthermore, by the location of ports 32 and 34 at one end of the valve casing 33 and the location of ports 33 and 33 at the other end of the valve casing with the core suitably passaged to connect the ports as described, the change in connection of the ports may be effected by only a 45 rotation of the valve core and still maintain the valve in hydraulic balance.

The pilot valve 36 is automatically actuated in timed relation with the reciprocations of the ram I3 and herein is located where it will be protected and where an attendant of the shaper may acfiust the means actuating the pilot valve without danger of being injured. To that end, 0

the valve 33 is mounted within the shaper, speciflcally, on top of the cylinder 38 transverseli thereof and projecting upwardly through ways I2 and partially into the ram I3 which customarily is hollow. The ram is formed in its top surface with an elongated recess I32 in which are adjustably. secured pilot valve actuating means I33 and I34. At the lower end of each means, within the ram I3, is a dog I35 and a dog I36, respectively, while at the top of each means is a handle I01 for the adjusting of the means longitudinally of the ram and for the clamping of the means in adjusted position.

As best seen in Fig. 5, the dogs I05 and I06 5 are oii'set from one another laterally in order to engage fingers I09 and I09 also offset later- -ally and fixed with the valve core so as to rotate the same upon engagement of a dog with one of the fingers. With this arrangement, one 10 dog will not interfere with the. control of the other dog should the ram overrun its normal stroke. Extending downwardly from the fingers I09 and I09 is a third finger, not shown, which lies between the ends of a forked member 0 i5 fixed on one end of a shaft IIII, the other end of which carries a handle III disposed outwardly of the column II. I The forked member 0 is made of such width that the finger disposed therein is free to move under the control of. the dogs I05 and I09 without actuating the handle III, while the pilot valve may be controlled manually through actuation of the handle III.

Smooth operation of a shaper, particularly a reversal of the direction of ram movement without shock, is in large part dependent upon the construction of the reversing valve and the rate at which its shift from one position to another takes place. To that end, means is herein provided for enabling an extremely nice control of the shifting movement of the, reversing valve core. This means functions to permit a rapid movement during approximately the first third of the shift of the valve core, a somewhat re- 30 tarded movement during'approximately the next third of the shift, and a still further retarded movement during the last third of the shift. To that end, a plurality of passages are provided for the supply and discharge of fluid to the '40'ends of the bore 10 of the valve 95. In order to show these passages in Fig. 2, a portion of the casting 42 has been rotated through 90.

Secured, as by bolting, to each end of the casting 42 is a plate II5 for closing the ends of the.

bores 52 and 10' of the valve and valve 95 respectively. Opposite the ends of valve 95, each plate additionally carries a plug I I9 and is formed with a passage I I1 communicating with the conduits 95 and 99, leading to the pilot valve, and

having three short branches forming parts of the plurality of passages leading to the bore 10' of the reversing valve. The intermediate one of the short branches communicates with a passage II9 opening through an annular member H9 secured in a sleeve I20 forced into the end of the bore 10'. This passage II9 constitutes I a supply passage and is controlled by a ball check valve I2I functioning to permit substantially unrestricted flow from the conduit 95 into the end so of the bore 10 by seating to prevent any discharge through the passage I I9.

Discharge of fluid from the end of the bore 10' takes place through any'onefof three ports which are successively closed in the order of their size by the end land of the valve core 10 as it is-shifted. To that end, there is formed in the casting 42 opening into the bore 10' an uncontrolled port I25 communicating with the passage II1 through a passage I29. This port '7 is disposed to be closed by'the end land when the valve core 10 has moved through approximately one-third of its stroke. Ports I21 and I29 communicate by means of a passage I29 with the passage 1 and are controlled by screw plugs I ith the portion of the plugs projecting ternal member I99 of the overrlmning clutch I42 clutch element I51 manually actuated by a lever into the ports formedwith V grooves so that av verynice adjustment of port opening may be obtained by threading the plugs into or out of the port. The casing at the ports I21 and I29 is made fiat so that the angular position of 5 the plugs will not vary the opening of the V grooves. Port I21 is so positioned as to be closed by the end land of the valve at the end of the second third of movement of the valve core, while the port I29 is never closed but has com- 10 'plete control of the discharged fluid through the last third of the movement of the valve core, .In order further to cushion the final movement of the valve core 10, the lands H and 12 are bored to receive slidably within them 15 a portion of the member II9 extending beyond the sleeve I20. The sleeve is formed with a longitudinal groove providing communication be tween the port I29 and the end of the bore 10.

Also of importance in assuring and obtaining smooth operation of the ram is the shape'of the lands on the valve core 10, the edges of which are herein beveled and, moreover, are

- beveled at an angle which is calculated to coordi-' nate with the control of the valve obtained by 25 the plurality of ports described.

, Included in the feed and control circuit is the hydraulic motor 29 for intermittently rotating the screw 22 and thereby intermittently feeding the table I9 transversely in timed relation with 30 the reciprocation of the ram I9 to present new portions of the work to the tool. Herein the motor 29 is of such construction that but a single conduit for operating fluid need be connected thereto. The motor comprises a cylinder I 35 and a piston I99 reciprocable therein. One end of the cylinder is closed by a cap I91 having a 'port I99 therein, through which operating fluid is supplied to impart a forward or working stroke to the piston I99. The piston is given a return stroke by a compression spring I99 at its upper end abutting a cap I40 closing the top of the cylinder and at its lower end received within a sleeve extension I of the piston I99.

The reciprocatory movement of the piston I99 is translated into rotary movement of the screw 22 by means of a one-way or overrunning clutch generally designated I42 (see Fig. 4) and a manually controlled reversing clutch generally designated I49. To that end, there is formed on the sleeve extension I a Y rack I45, 'the teeth of which mesh with a pinion I49 projecting through an aperture I41 in the cylinder I95 and fast on a shaft I49. Also fast on the shaft I49 is an inwhich functions through rollers I50 in well known manner to drive an external member I5I when rotated as an incident to a working stroke of the piston I99 but revolving freely within the member I5I during a return stroke of the piston I99. The external member I5I has integral therewith a shaft I52 which is journaled in the rail I1 and which has keyed thereto a bevel gear I59. Bevel gear I59 meshes in well known manner with a bevel gear in and a bevel gear I55, both formed with clutch teeth I59 and freely rotatable upon a portion of the screw 22. Positioned between the bevel gears I54 and I55 and keyed to the screw 22 for rotation therewith is'a shiftable 70 I59 for engagement with either gear I54 or gear I55 to determine the direction of rotation of the screw 22 and hence the direction of feed of the table I9. The cylinder I95 and a housing I59. for the pinion I49, formed integral therewith are 15 I Q a reduced portion I receivable within the recess secured to a portion I60 of the rail I1 forming a housing for the one-way clutch I42 and thus the entire unit moves with the rail I1 when it is adjusted vertically.

Means is provided herein for obviating the necessity of a flexible connection to the motor 23. To that end, the rail I1 is formed with a cylinder I65 which is closed at its upper end and at its lower end receives telescopically within it an upstanding tube I66 fixed in the base I0 of the shaper. The tube I66 is connected by a conduit I61 with the conduit 91 leading from the pilot valve to the left end of the reversing valve 35. Cylinder I65 in turn is connected by means of a rigid conduit I68 with the port I38 of the cylinder I35. Any fluid leaking past the piston I36 is returned to the reservoir through a flexible conduit I69.

In order to vary the extent of feed of the table I9, the stroke of the piston I36 is made adjustable. To that end, there is threaded through the cap I40 a screw I10 rotatable by means of handle I1I The position of the screw l10.by abutment with the piston I36 determines the length of the working stroke thereof and consequently the extent of feed movement of the table I9. To assure quiet operation of the motor 23, the face of the piston within the sleeve extension MI is formed with a recess I 12 and the end of the screw I10 is reduced at I13 so as to fit within the recess I12 and thereby form a dashpot for quietly stopping the piston at the end of its working stroke. similarly, the working face of the piston is formed with a recess I14 and the cap I31 is formed with I14 again to form a dashpot for effecting a quiet arrest of the piston at the end of its return stroke.

The operation of the shaper briefly is as follows: let it be assumed that a work piece has been clamped in the vice 24, that the rail I1 has been elevated to place the work at a proper level with respect'to the tool, that the dogs I05 and I06 havebeen properly adjusted to produce the desired stroke of the raml3, and that the valve 33 by manipulation of a handle 33' has been adjusted to discharge a volume of fluid to produce the desired feed rate of movement .of theram during its cutting stroke. With the handle 34 in stop position, the attendant would then start the electric motor 3| to initiate operation of the pump 30. So long as the handle 34 is in stop position, fluid discharged by the pump 30 and by the valve 33 directed to the valve 34 is returned through conduit 62 to the reservoir, for in stop position grooves 53 and 58 of the valve 34 are in communication.

To initiate reciprocation of the ram I3, the handle 34' is shifted counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 to its low position, thereby shifting the valve core 5| to its intermediate or dotted line position of Fig. 2. Fluid supplied through the conduit 49 would now flow from the groove 53 to the groove 54 which has been placed in communication with the groove 53 by thev shift of the valve core and because the groove 58 is now cut off by the land 59. From groove 54, the fluid would flow through the passage to the groove 16 and assuming that the reversing valve is in the "forward position shown, the fluid would pass along the bore 10' to the groove 15 and thence through passage 43 to the head end of the cylinder, and would thus impart a forward cutting stroke to the ram. The fluid in the rod end of the cylinder 38 would be forced outwardly through the passage 44, conduit 81, valve 31, conduit 64, groove 55 of valve 34, passage I, grooves 11 and 18 of the reversing valve 35, passage 82 and grooves 56 and 51 of the valve 34 and out through conduit 63 leading to the reservoir. It

is to be noted that with the valve 34 in its low position, only the fluid supplied by the valve 33 is discharged to the head end of the cylinder, While the fluid from the rod end is discharged to the reservoir through the valve 31, which creates a back pressure tending to prevent overrunning of the ram or irregular movement thereof, should the resistance created by the cut of the tool be a variable one.

As the ram reaches the end of its forward or cutting stroke, do I05 engages finger I09 thereby rotating valve core 9I through 45 and connecting the auxiliary control circuit so as to supply fluid to the right end of the reversing valve 35 for the purpose of shifting the same to its left or return position. The flow of fluid is from the pump 30 through conduit 93, port 9.2 to port 94, thence through conduit 95, passage H1 and past check valve I2I through passage I I8 to the right end of the bore 10'. There is thus an unrestricted flow of fluid to the right end of the valve 35, and during approximately the first third of its movement a substantially unrestricted discharge from the left end of the valve through port I25, passage I26, to conduit 96 and thence through conduit 91, ports 98 and 99 of the pilot valve and conduit I00 to the reservoir. -At the end of the first third of the movement of the core 19, the land 1I closes the port thereby compelling the fluid to be discharged through controlled port I21 which is adjustable to effect a desired restriction of the discharge for retarding the rate of shifting movement of the valve core 10. At the end of the second third of movement of the core 10, port I21 also is cut oil by the land 1I compelling the remainder of the fluid to be discharged through the port I28 which also is controlled and further restricts the discharge of fluid. The final movement of the core 10 is controlled by the dashpot effect resulting from the cooperation between the member H9 and the bore in the end of the land N. This control of the movement of the valve core 10 combined with the beveling of the edges of the lands of the core 10 produces extremely smooth reversal of the ram I3.

With the reversing valve 35 in its left hand or return" position, fluid now flows through conduit 49, grooves 53 and 54, passage 80, grooves 16 and 11 of the reversing valve, passage 8|, groove 55, conduit 64, through valve 31, which does not restrict the flow when in this direction, conduit 81 and passage 44 to the-rod end of the cylinder 38 to drive the ram I3 on its return stroke. As is well known to those skilled in the art, with the rod 40 but very slightly smaller in diameter than the piston 39, the return stroke of the ram I3 will be at a rapid traverse rate even though the quantity of fluid supplied is the same as that supplied to the head end during a cutting stroke. Fluid in the head end of the cylinder 38 is discharged through passage 43, grooves 15 and 14 of the reversing valve, passage 19, groove 58 of valve 34, and conduit 62 leading to the reservoir. As the ram reaches the end of its return stroke, dog I06 engages finger I08 and rotates valve core 9| through. 45 in a clockwise direction tothe position shown in Fig. 2. In this position, fluid is supplied through conduit 93, ports 92 and 98 and conduits 91 and 96 to the left end of the valve 35, thereby shifting the same toward therlght 7 to its "forward position shown in Fig. 2. The fluid in the right end of the valve 35 is discharged in controlled stages the same as was described for the discharge from the left end of the valve.

A shift of the pilot valve 36 to .a position directing fluid to the valve 35 to shift the same to its forward position also'supplies fluid through conduit I61, tube I66, cylinder I65 and conduit I68 to the cylinder I35 of the table feed motor 23. As a result, the piston I35 of the motor is driven through a working stroke, thereby feeding the table I9 transversely to present a fresh portion of the work piece to the tool. This shift of the table I9 transversely takes place substantially simultaneously with the shifting'of the reversing valve, but its complete shift prior to movement of the ram upon a forward stroke is assumed both because of the retarded shift of the reversing valve andbecause of the back pressure valve 31. With the shift of the table I9 completed and with the valve core III in its forward" position as shown in Fig. 2, the ram I3 is again driven on a forward or cutting stroke. This reciprocation is continued until the operation of the machine is arrested manually.

The pilot valve 36 may be shifted manually by the handle III as. well as by the dogs I05 and I05. When the pilot valve is shifted manually, operation of the reversing valve is assured regardless of the pressure in the main actuating circuit because the choke IIlI maintains a predeterminedminimum pressure in the pilot valve circuit.

When the nature of the cut being taken is such that a higher feed rate of movement of the ram I3 is desirable, the attendant shifts the handle 34' still further in a counterclockwise direction placing the valve 34 in its high position, which is the extreme right position in Fig. 2. With the valve in that position, groove 53 is now in communication with both grooves 54 and 55, while groove 56 isblocked off from groove 51 by land 50. As a result, groove 53 is in communication with both the head and the rod end of the cylinder 38, and discharge to the reservoir through conduit 63 is prevented. Due to the difierential in the areas of the piston faces, the ram is still driven on a forward stroke with the fluid in the rod end of the cylinder 38 added to the fluid supplied through conduit 49 to impart a'high rate I of movement to the ram. The supply of fluid to the rod end and the discharge offluid from the head end of the cylinder duringa return stroke of the ram is the same for this position of the valve 34 as it is when the valve is in low po-' sition.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that I have perfected a hydraulic shaper having many new and advantageous features, including an improved circuit enabling initiation and arrest of operation as well as rate selection to be governed by a. single valve. Moreover, the shaper is rendered more free from interruptions in its use because the vital parts of the machine, such as the pilot valve, are housed within the frame where they will not be subject to injury and where, moreover, the dogs for controlling the same may be adjusted by an attendant during operation of the shaper without danger of injury. Smoothness and quietness in operation-are assured by the novel and improved construction of the revalve 35 and the valve 34 as a single integral casting.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hydraulic machine tool comprising, in combination, a frame, a carriage slidably mountedon said frame, a hydraulic motor for reciprocating said carriage through a forward and return stroke, a constant displacement pump for supplying operating fluid to said motor, and a hydraulic system for conducting and controlling the fluid supplied by said pump to said motor comprising-a manually adjustable volume control valve for determining the quantity of fluid supplied to said motor from said pump, a combined start-stop and rate selector valve receiving the operating fluid discharged by said volume control valve and functioning to initiate and arrest reciprocation of said carriage and determine the speed range of operation of said carriage on a forward stroke, and a reversing valve for alternately directing the fluid to said motor to eflect reciprocation of said carriage.

2. A hydraulic machine tool comprising, in combination, a frame, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motor for reciprocating said carriage through a forward and return stroke, a fluid reservoir, a constant displacement pump for supplying operating fluid to-said motor, a hydraulic system for conducting and controlling the fluid supplied by said pump to saidmotor comprising a manually adjustable volume control valve for determining the quantity of fluid supplied to said motor from said pump, a combined start-stop and rate selector valve having a stop position in which the fluid supplied by said volume control valve is returned to the reservoir, a low" position in which the fluid is directed to drive'said motor at a low speed range, and a high position in which the fluid is directed to drive said motor at a high speed range, anda reversing valve automatically shift-.

ed in timed relation with the reciprocation of said carriage alternately to direct fluid to said motor to drive said carriage through a forward and return stroke.

3. A hydraulic machine tool comprising, in combination, a frame, a carriage reciprocable upon said frame, a hydraulic motor for reciprocating said carriage comprising a'cylinder and a piston reciprocable in said cylinder having a rod projecting through one end thereof into engagement with said carriage, a pump for supplying operating fluid to said motor, and a valve controlled fluid conducting system comprising a combined start-stop and rate selector valve, a reversing valve for alternately directing fluid to the head and the rod end of said motor to effect reciprocation thereof, and a combined back pressure and check valve interposed in the conduit of the system leading to the rod end of said motor operating yieldably to resist the flow of fluid when discharged from the rod end of said motor and to permit substantially unrestricted flow of fluid supplied to the rod end of said motor.

4. A hydraulic machine tool comprising, in"

combination, a frame, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motor for reciprocating said carriage through a forward and return stroke comprising a cylinder and a piston reciprocable in said cylinder having a rod projecting through an end thereof into engagement with said carriage, ,a pump for supplying operating fluid to said motor, and a valve controlled fluid conducting system comprising a combined start-stop and rate selector valve for controlling the initiation and arrest of operation of said an riage and preselecting one of two speed ranges at which said carriage is driven through its forward stroke, and a reversing valve having two positions, said valve in one position discharging the fluid directly to said motor for effecting a 'forward stroke of said carriage and in the other gagement with said carriage, a fluidreservoir, a

pump for supplying operating fluid to said motor, and a valve controlled fluid conducting system comprising a combined start-stop and rate selector valve having three positions and a reversing valve having two positions, said reversing valve having a forward position in which fluid is dis-'- charged directly to thehead end of said motor and a return position in which fluid is directed to the rod end of said motor through said selector valve, said combined start-stop and rate selector valve having a first position in which the fluid supplied by said pump is directed to the reservoir through a return conduit, a second position in which said return conduit is cut off and the sup-' ply of fluid connected to said reversing valve to be directed to either the head end or the rod end of said motor depending upon the position of said reversing valve, and a third position in which the supply of fluid is connected only to the rod end of said motor when said reversing valve is in forward position.

6. A hydraulic machine tool comprising a frame, a member reciprocably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motor for reciprocating said member, a pump for supplying operating fluid to said motor, a hydraulic system for conducting and controlling the supply of operating fluid by said pump to said motor comprising a reversing valve for alternately directing the fluid to effect reciprocation of said member having only a single direct connection with said motor, and a single start and rate selector valve.

'7. A hydraulic machine tool comprising, in combination, a frame, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motor for reciprocating said carriage comprising a piston and a cylinder, a reversing valve having a port directly connected to one end of said cylinder, a control valve having a port directly connected to the other end of said cylinder, a pump for supplying operating fluid to said control valve, and a plurality of fluid connections between said control valve and said reversing valve for completing a hydraulic supply system for said motor.

8. A hydraulic machine tool comprising, in combination, a frame, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motor for reciprocating said carriage, a pump supplying operating fluid, a main hydraulic actuating circuit including said motor and a hydraulically actuated reversing valve shiftable alternately to direct the fluid to said motor to effect reciprocation of said carriage, said circuit receiving fluid from said pump, and an auxiliary control circuit including a pilot valve automatically actuated by means on said carriage and governing the supply of operating fluid to said reversing valve for shifting the same, said auxiliary circuit having a common connection to said pump with said main circuit, and a choke in said main circuit for maintaining a predetermined minimum pressure in said control circuit independently of the pressure in said main circuit.

9. A hydraulic machine tool comprising, in combination, a frame, a first carriage slidably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motorfor reciprocating said carriage, a second carriage adapted to be intermittently actuated in timed relation with the reciprocations of said first carriage, a hydraulic motor for driving said second carriage, a pump for supplying operating fluid, a main actuating circuit deriving fluid from said pump and including the hydraulic motor for said first carriage and a hydraulically shifted reversing valve operable alternately to direct fluid to effect reciprocation of said first carriage, and a control circuit also deriving fluid from said pump and including the motor for said second carriage and a pilot valve governing the supply of fluid to said reversing valve to effect the shifting thereof and automatically actuated by means on said first carriage in timed relation with the reciprocation thereof and the motor for said second carriage.

PAUL S. JACKSON. 

